THE AMISH CHRISTMAS SECRET by Vannetta Chapman is the sixth book in the Indiana Amish Brides series. It’s the delightful, heart-warming and often comical story of Becca Schwartz, an Amish woman still living with her parents on their farm, and Daniel Glick, who recently purchased the run down farm on the adjacent property.
Becca loves her family and although she doesn’t want for herself, she’s always trying to help others. To do this, she’s always coming up with ideas for new projects to help her family financially. Most of them not only don’t work, but some have actually had less than desirable endings. Like when she bought a rooster to raise and sell organic eggs and chicks only to have bought the most contrary rooster around. The only other thing that takes up more of her thinking time is her curiosity. Her new neighbor’s secrets – like why he bought such a rundown farm if he could afford such an expensive horse, why would he repair the barn while willingly sleep in a sleeping bag on the back porch of the house in cold weather, or why he refuses to give out any information about himself – makes her curiosity work overtime to find out the answers. Is he secretive or is he hiding something?
Daniel’s family had inherited a large sum of money. It not only made them millionaires (something very rare among the Amish), but it destroyed what little bit of family life they had. To escape their bickering way of life and the ill effects of having money, he packed up a few meager belongings and bought a track of land just outside Shipshewana, IN. He knew that everything about it was in horrible shape, but he also knew he had the skills, funds and time to fix it up. The isolation and honest work sounded like a little bit of heaven to him and he was ready for the challenge. The main thing was that no one was to know about his past life or that he actually had funds in the bank. He was just going live the plain life and enjoy his solitude. That is until he finds that a shared barn was half owned by Becca’s family and she was not going to be content to leave him alone.
When Becca and Daniel’s paths keep bringing them together, will an illness, a tragic fire and time together have them seeing the good in the other instead of what sets them off? Can Daniel learn the value of family, through the example of the Schwartz’ and see the type family he always wished his had been? By learning to accept help, can he learn the true meaning of community where other expect nothing in return for their help other than the hope you will pay it forward when there’s a need? Can Becca learns to accept Daniel as a neighbor, fellow church member and not to second guess his every action while understand why he keep his past and his riches a secret? Will she finally learn that her family may be financially poor, but they are rich in so many other ways?
THE AMISH CHRISTMAS SECRET is a fabulous well-written Christmas story that Vannetta Chapman. It’s a story of hope, curiosity, compassion, unselfishness, helping someone just because it’s the right thing to do, finding out what you have been searching for might already be what you have, sacrifices made in the name of love aren’t really sacrifices at all, finding out you can’t run from your past because it is part of you and true love. It’s woven with a wonderful thread of faith that can be applied to one’s life the whole year through. It speaks volumes about how the best presents don’t come in a box or wrapped up with a bow, they aren’t bought from a store or found under a tree. They are the blessings of family, community and faith. You are bound to fall in love with Becca and Daniel just like I did. How wonderful it would be to have someone like the Schwartz as neighbors. Loved this story from the first page to the last. This is the type of story that I can see myself reading every holiday season just for the reminder. Definitely gets a FIVE STAR rating!